Apparatus for heating ceramics



NOV. 23, 1948. MlDDLETON 2,454,708

APPARATUS FOR HEATING CERAMICS Filed Aug. 15, 1947 John M. Middle Ion 3mm WWW 3m meted 1109.23,

APPARATUS FOR'HEATING CEB AMICS John M. Middleton, Harrisburg, Pa., assignor of fifty per cent to A Glyn Francis, Camp Hill, Pa.

Application August 15, 1947, Serial No. 768,759

This invention relates to apparatus for manufacturing ceramics or kilnless brick machine, such ceramics consisting of brick, tile, pottery and allied products and apparatus being designed to eliminate the necessity of using ovens and kilns.

The purpose of the invention, including apparatus or machine for manufacturing the'ceramics, such as stated, is to eliminate the use of drying kilns and baking ovens and to considerably reduce the time element now required in order to dry or dehydrate said ceramic articles, the process consisting of dehydrating by infra-red or similar lights or heating means and baking the ceramic articles such as brick, tile, pottery and allied products with high frequency electricity, produc ng the necessary heat in connection w th heating elements adjacent, through and along which the ceramic articles are conveyed so that the time element consumed in completing the finished product would be reduced to seconds, as compared to several days which are now required by the oven and kiln process.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine or apparatus for the purposes stated, including a dehydrating machine or device having an arrangement of infra-red or similar lights and heating means, which may be used optionally in connection with high frequency electricity in a heater, for the purpose of dehydrating and drying the bricks or other articles and baking the same, while being passed continuously through the machine from the forming machine, by which the product, in crude form, has been shaped and cut to size, and discharged therefrom, as by means of an endless conveyor or otherwise to feed the same continuously into the machine or apparatus of the present invention.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a preliminary heating and dehydrating means, and 'high frequency electricity baking means, by which the brick or similar ceramic articles are preliminarily dried before being baked, although the dehydrating element using infra-red lights or the like is an optional feature which may or may not be used, depending upon the characteristics of the product involved, so as to bake the products instantaneously in an economical and eflicient manner.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for manufacturing ceramics such as brick, tile, pottery and allied products by which a high degree of heat by means of a high frequency induction coil, plus the preliminary application of infra-red light, when and if neces- 2 Claims. (01. 25-142) I sary, accomplishes, in a matter of seconds, the same result which now requires several days of heat treatment in an oven and drying kiln, thereby providing for increased production many times over present manufacturing methods at considerably less cost and eliminating the necessity of using expensive kilns and ovens, frequent repairs, cost of fuels, labor, etc., with reduced manufacturing costs of substantial character which, when passed on to the ultimate consumer, would be reflected in reduced costs of constructing buildings and homes or wherever such products are used.

A still further and important object of the invention is to provide optional means which may be used for preliminary application of heat or infra-red light, as dehydrating and drying means before subjecting the ceramic articles to the baking action of high frequency induction coils in connection with a conveyor system for the manufacture of brick, tile, pottery and allied products in a continuous operating device designed to receive from the ceramic brick or other article cutting and shaping machine as discharged therefrom, and to continuously discharge the finished product dehydrated and baked in the manner specified.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional top plan elevation showing the construction of the machine or apparatus for practicing the method in one form;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the arrangement of the high frequency induction coil for baking the ceramic articles and conveyance rollers used in connection therewith.

As shown in the drawings, in which like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the apparatus or machine for practicing the method or process consists of a suitable elongated rectangular casing or housing In in which is mounted upon a suitable frame or support I l in an elevated, horizontal position, a horizontal endless conveyor or belt I! of suitable construction operating or trained upon and around rollers Hi, the axis I4 of which at each end is designed to turn in bearings ll supported by the frame structure if and extending substantially two-thirds or more of the length of the housing l0. At the feed end for receiving the ceramic articles or ceramics, the same is cut out. as indicated at it, at approxi mately the elevation of the upper lap of the end less conveyor or belt l2, to receive from the delivery conveyor of the existing machine by which the' crude product has been shaped and cut to size. an endless series of such articles continuously therefrom onto the receiving end of the conveyor or belt l2 without the interposition of a shelf. table or other connecting or feeding means between the two conveyors inorder to effect, by reason of the alignment thereof, a substantially continuous conveyor operation.

The conveyor i2 may be driven through one of the rolls or rollers it, from a motor II pro- I vided in the bottom of the housing I!) or frame ll upon a suitable base or supporting structure I 8, with an endless drive member or belt l9 connecting pulleys or sprockets 20 and 2| on the respective shafts of the motor I! and the receiving roller l3, at desired speed, preferably reduced from that of the motor i1.

Optionally arranged above the top lap or stretch of the conveyor or belt l2 are a series of infrared light bulbs or like dehydrating means 22, shown arranged in staggered relation and at opposite angles in substantially three or more rows, in the center and each side longitudinally of the closed top of the housing It which is indicated at 23. These infra-red or other lights or dehydrating means serve for the purpose of drying a ce ramic article such as those stated, while passing from the receiving end to the discharging end of the endless conveyor or belt I 2 beneath the said rows of lights or other drying means optionally used for the purpose, depending upon the characteristics of the product involved.

Immediately following the discharge end of the endless conveyor or belt i2 and at the same elevation with the upper stretch or lap thereof, suitable drying and baking means is provided for the ceramics passing along the top lap of the conveyor or belt l2 and discharged from the adjacent end of the latter thereonto. As shown, high frequency electricity is used in the form of an induction coil 24 having a series of windings or coils, as shown in Figure 4 of the drawings, with the lower portions 25 thereof arranged transversely parallel to each other in spaced relation and perpendicular to the sides or longitudinal dimensions of the housing l transverse to the conveyor l2 and parallel to the axes of the rollers I3. The upper portions of the coils are indicated at 26 and are arranged diagonally so as to connect adjacent coils which may be of tubular formation and provided with suitable heating elements in connections by which high frequency current is supplied thereto, for furnishing the necessary heating, drying and baking means for the ceramics which pass from the upper lap or stretch of the belt l2 and adjacent to or through the coils 24, For this purpose, rolls 2'! may be provided 6 move along the same through, adjacent and in proximity to the high frequency induction coils 24 for the use of baking the products instantaneously after being dehydrated by the infra-red or similar lighting and heating means 22- heretofore described. so that the time consumed in completing the finished product would be reduced to seconds as compared to several days which are now required by the oven and kiln process.

After passing along and through or adjacent the high frequency induction coil 24, the ceramics are discharged into an additional discharge conveyor or belt 30 trained or operating around rollers II and 32 with their shafts or axes 33 similarly mounted as are the axes or shafts l4 of the rollers it, either by means of the sides of the housing It, or a suitable auxiliary frame structure 34 provided for the purpose corresponding to the frame or supporting structure H. Also, the high frequency induction coil 24 may be mounted at the sides of the housing ill or upon a suitable auxiliary frame structure or support 35 so that the rolls 21 are disposed in proximity, adjacent to and closely adjacent in spaced parallel relation between and to the rollers l3 and 3| at the discharge end of the conveyor or belt l2 and the feed or receiving end of the conveyor belt 30 at the discharge end of the apparatus for practicing the process of manufacturing ceramics of the character stated. Above the heating element or dehydrating means 24 which is shown in the form of the high frequency electricity employing means or induction coil, as stated, the top 23 of the housing l0 may be provided with an exhaust or opening 36 through which gases, vapor or other excess heat or byproducts are released and discharged, and subsequently, after passing along the conveyor 30, at the discharge end of the machine or apparatus, the ceramics are delivered to a discharge chute 31 inclined in the discharge direction and suitably supported at the adjacent end of the housing I 0 at the bottom of an opening 38 therein, through which the ceramics are discharged to suitable receiving means.

Thus, in the operation of the method or process in connection with the machine or apparatus described, the ceramics in the form of brlck, tile, pottery or like products after being delivered from the existing conveyor of a machine by which the same are formed, shaped and cut to size and delivered continuously therefrom onto the conveyor l2 at the receiving end through the opening i6, pass along the conveyor or belt l2 beneath the dehydrating means or infra-red light or the like 22, for the purpose of drying the same preliminarily, this being optional, depending upon the characteristics of the product involved. The said articles are then delivered into the high frequency induction coil 24 employing high frequency electricity, for the purpose of drying and baking the articles in question as they pass along the rollers or rolls 21, while exhaust of the gases produced is accomplished by expelling the same through the exhaust opening 36. The element 22 constitutes a dehydrator, so that as the ceramics pass along the conveyor I2, the moisture is driven therefrom by dehydration with subsequent drying and baking through the medium of the employment of high frequency electricity as the coil or high frequency induction coil 24 which is used for baking the products instantaneously. The rolls 2'! carry the products through the high frequency induction coil compartment and coils, being located in such a manner that they will not be afiected by the extreme baking heat influenced by the high frequency induction coils, by arrangement adjacent and slightly below the lower portions of the coils 24, described and indicated at 25, as heretofore pointed out, and slightly lower but adjacent to and substantially corresponding to the horizontal plane of the upper lap on both of the conveyors or belts l2 and (M. In this manner, the articles are continuously fed from the conveyor belt I! along the rolls 2'! to pass through the induction coils for baking and drying the articles in question, and then discharging the same upon the top lap of the conveyor or belt 30 for subsequent discharge to the chute 31. However, in order to drive the endless conveyor or belt 30, a suitable driving connection may be provided between the same and the motor I! or the endless conveyor or belt i2, such as at the receiving roller [3 in the form of a sprocket wheel 39, around which an endless belt or drive member in the form of a chain 40 is engaged or trained, to correspondingly engage a sprocket or drive member I mounted at the forward roller ll of the endless conveyor or belt 30 so that the latter will be driven from the former. Thus, the belts or conveyors are driven from the motor I! and the conveyors driven therefrom to accomplish the continuous movements of the ceramics along the belt through the dehydrating and drying and baking means for discharge or unloading at the end thereof. Of course, the conveying means may be propelled in any suitable manner, as from the motor IT, or the existing machine in which the crude products are shaped and cut to size and delivered continuously to the present machine or apparatus for practicing the method of manufacturing brick in accordance with the process described, as well as tile, pottery and other allied ceramic products. By applying the method or process in the manufacture of ceramic articles of the nature described, by the application of a high degree of heat by means of a high frequency induction coil, plus the preliminary application of dehydrating or drying means in the form of infra-red lights or otherwise when the nature and characteristics of the product involved so requires, and if necessary, it is possible to accomplish, in a matter of seconds or minutes, the same result which now requires several days of heat treatment in an oven. Thus, production will be increased many times over present manufacturing methods at considerably less cost. and the elimination of expensive ovens and kilns, frequent repairs, cost of fuels, labor, etc. will reduce manufact-urine costs sub tan ially. which if passed on to the ultimate consumer, would be reflected in reduced cost of constructing buildings and homes or wherever such products are used. and naturally the production cost price of such articles, as well as the sale price thereof. However, it is to be understood that the use of the infra-red lights or dehydrating means is optional, depending upon the characteristics of the products involved. but the application of such dehydrating means or infra-red lights and high frequency induction heating means or coils used for such purpose in connection with a conveyor system for the manufacture of ceramic articles, such as brick, tile, pottery and allied products. is a considerable advsnce over the use of oven and kiln processes so as to reduce to seconds or minutes the time required to produce said articles in complete, efficient and high-grade form heretofore requiring several days 01' heat treatment in an oven or kiln for such purpose.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this means for driving said conveyor, said enclosure having a receiving opening at the receiving end of the conveyor for receiving the crude products shaped and cut to size thereon continuously, a dehydrating means consisting of infra-red lamps positioned at the top of the housing over said conveyor, for driving the moisture therefrom and drying said ceramics, a high frequency induction coil positioned at the discharge end of said conveyor within said housing, an exhaust outlet at the top of the housing over said heating coil, said enclosure having rollers at the bottom thereof between said coils along which the ceramics are passed through the coils from the conveyor to instantaneously bake the same, a second conveyor receiving the ceramics from the coil, means for discharging the ceramics from the end of the enclosure. .and means associated with the first driving means for driving said second conveyor.

2. An apparatus or machine for the manufacture of ceramics such as brick, tile, pottery and allied products, consisting of an enclosure, a horizontal conveyor supported within the enclosure, means for driving said conveyor, said enclosure having a receiving opening at the receiving end of the conveyor for receiving the crude products shaped and cut to size thereon continuously, a dehydrating means consisting of infra-red lamps positioned at the top of the housing over said conveyor, for driving the moisture therefrom and drying said ceramics, a high frequency induction coil positioned at the discharge end of said conveyor within said housing, an exhaust outlet at the top of the housing over said heating coil, said enclosure having rollers at the bottom thereof between said coils along wh ch the ceramics are passed through the coils from the conveyor to instantaneously bake the same. a second conveyor receiving the ceramics from the coil, means for discharging the ceramics from the end of the enclosure. said means being positioned and supported within the enclosure, and means for driving the second conveyor from the first conveyor.

JOHN M. MIDDLETON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Ross June 1, 1943 

